College is a magical time where you get to learn new things and meet new people. Sometimes, it isn't what you expect it to be. As a sophomore, I will tell you some of the things that I feel are important to know. Let's travel on this journey of enlightenment together!
1. The first day of classes will seem like the best day of your life.
Your campus will seem like a mystical place where people are mature and have definite goals. You'll feel like a true grown-up as you confidently strut to the first building
*Record scratch sound effect* Then suddenly you're in a regular classroom that looks like every classroom you've seen for the last thirteen years of your life.
2. You will miss having a home cooked meal every night.
No matter how mediocre your parents are at cooking, you will miss it.
Every time you go home you will have the strong urge to raid your parents fridge for anything you can find. Hopefully they won't mind too much.
3. Taking a class at 7:45 a.m. is not as easy as it sounds.
While making your schedule you thought,"I took classes every day at 8 a.m. when I was in high school, why would it be hard now?"
Soon the sound of your alarm will make you hate yourself deeply. Why would you do that to yourself? My first semester I could barely handle a 9:55.
4. Do not take five classes in a row.
The need to do this is based on the same thought process in number three. I can definitely be in class from 12-5 p.m.! Nope. No way.
Yes, I know you used to spend multiple hours in classes without breaks in high school. Yes, I know you didn't think it was a big deal. Your brain will pretty much shut off after three classes directly in a row. If your schedule is like this, at least give yourself an hour break in between two of the classes.
5. Walking to class in the Summer and the Winter is horrendous.
You're either sweaty or freezing. Yes, it is still possible to be both at the same time. Why has science done this to us?
6. Most of your free time during the week will be spent watching Netflix.
Why write two essays when you can watch all four seasons of "Orange is the New Black"? You could even have a "Back to the Future" marathon. I won't judge you.
7. All nighters will not be as easy as they were in high school.
Staying up all night to write that essay is a really bad idea. You'll go to class in the morning looking and feeling like you're dead. It is not fun, I promise.
8. The food from the cafeteria is really sub par.
This isn't the case for every college or university but most of the time, this is a true statement. On the bright side, they actually feed you. Maybe there's a diamond somewhere, hidden in the fields of nasty food.
9. You will have some level of homesickness.
Some people have it a lot worse than others but almost everyone has it. You'll have to learn to deal with being without your family and friends and at one point you'll probably wish you were still at home with your cats, and dogs. But I promise it does get a lot easier the longer that you're there.10. You aren't as old as you think you are.
You'll be walking to class and see all of the upperclassmen that are twenty+ years old and you'll feel like an infant.
And believe me when I say that they can pick out freshmen in a crowd. They know.
11. College will be fun.
It will be hard and stressful at times. It has its ups and downs just like everything else but it will definitely be fun, even if it isn't right away.So go out there and try something new, meet new people, and create new memories. Don't wake up one day and wish you had done things differently.
